Wheel clamp



Patented ct. 11, 1949 UNITED STATES ENT OFFICE WHEEL CLAMP Harry T. Jones, Corpus Christi, Tex., assignor of one-half to Earl Summers, Corpus Christi, Tex.

1 Claim.

My present invention relates to an improved wheel clamp and especially to the type of wheel clamp employed to secure in position on a rail, a railroad car wheel, While for instance, the journal bearing is being replaced or other necessary repair is being performed while the car is elevated or jacked up to provide access to the bearing.

In the absence of securing means for the car wheel, the wheel Will become elevated with the car and truck and the weight will not be removed from the wheel.

It is the principal purpose of my invention therefore to present a clamp to secure the wheel to the rail so that when the car and truck are elevated, the wheel will remain clamped to the rail.

In the accompanying drawings I have illustrated one complete example of the physical embodiment of my invention according to the best mode I have thus far devised but it will be understood that various changes and alterations may be made in the exemplified structure within the scope of the appended claim.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is an assembly view in section showing a wheel, a rail, and the clamp of my invention associated therewith.

Figure 2 is a transverse sectional view of the clamp taken at line 2 2 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a transverse sectional view taken at line 3-3 of Figure 1.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, I have illustrated a railroad rail 2 having a ball or head 4 and a base flange 6. A car wheel 8 is shown resting on the .ball of the rail and the flange i of the wheel is illustrated on the inner side of the rail. The annular exterior ring or rim of the wheel, at I2 is shown with an arcuate surface I4 merging with the web of the wheel.

A base bar for the clamp of my invention is shown as at I6 having the spaced transverse grooves I8 and said grooves are fashioned with downwardly converging walls 20. A vertical opening 22 is provided in the base for the passage therethrough of the retaining bolt.

The clamp or clamping bar is illustrated as at 24 having a longitudinal slot 26, and the forward end of the clamp is curved or ared outwardly as at 28 to conform with the arcuate merging surface of the wheel web and annular rim, and transverse slots 30 under the curved end 28 enhance the gripping power of the clamp and enable the clamp end to cut through grease and dirt to positively engage the wheel surface.

A leg 32 depends from the clamp and the lower end of this leg is tapered as at 34 for close engagement with the lateral grooves i8 of the base, and the bolt 36 with its washer 38 and nut 40 provides the securing means for the clamp and base.

The longitudinal slot 26 and the spaced lateral grooves i8 permit adjustment of the clamp with relation to the base as the circumstances and equipment require.

By the use of my invention, a car wheel will be securely retained in contact with the rail While the car or truck is being lifted, and the structure of the clamp is such as described that the clamp is not likely to slip from its Contact with the wheel.

Having thus fully described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

In a railway wheel clamp for temporarily securing a railway car wheel in a xed position on a rail, the combination which comprises a base bar adapted when the clamp is in use to extend laterally from the rail with an end portion thereof in contact with the under side of the rail head, the base bar being provided between its ends with a vertical opening and having spaced transversely disposed grooves in its upper side between said opening and its other end, the side walls of the grooves converging downwardly, a clamping bar provided between its ends with a longitudinal slot and adapted when the clamp is in use to extend laterally from the wheel with an end portion thereof in contact with the inner side of the rim of the wheel, said end portion of the clamping bar having a convex lower face conforming to the inner face `of the wheel rim and said face having transverse slots to adapt the clamping bar to rrnly engage the wheel rim, a leg extending downwardly from the other end oi the clamping bar and having its lowei` end tapered and engaging in a selected groove of the base bar, and securing means for the base and clamping bars, said means including a bolt passing through the opening in the base bar and the slot in the clarnping bar, the slot adapting the bars to be relatively adjusted longitudinally so that the leg of the clamping bar may be engaged with any one of the grooves of the clamping bar to adjust the clamp for use in connection with rails and wheels of different size.

HARRY T. JONES.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 153,133 Van Wagoner July 14, 1874 524,330 Lane Aug. 14, 1894 1,181,940 Tilly May 2, 1916 1,346,504 Mathison July 13, 1920 1,625,136 Mullins et al Apr. 19, 1927 2,395,607 Aalberg Feb. 26, 1946 

